The Central Park Five

 

The CENTRAL PARK FIVE

by DALE RICARDO SHIELDS

Antron McCray, Raymond Santana Jr, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam and Kharey Wise outside a theater before the New York premiere of the Central Park Five, in 2012.
Photograph: Michael Nagle/New York Times / Redux / eyevine

Five young teenagers who were wrongfully convicted as teenagers for the 1989 assault and rape of a jogger in New York City.

After serving between six and 13 years in prison, they were fully exonerated in 2002 when the actual perpetrator confessed and DNA evidence confirmed his guilt   

The New York City Law Department

  • Yusef Salaam: Currently serves on the New York City Council.
  • Korey Wise: Founded the Korey Wise Innocence Project at Colorado Law School.
  • Raymond Santana Jr.: Founder of the apparel company Park Madison NYC.
  • Kevin Richardson: Active advocate for criminal justice and witness reform.
  • Antron McCray: Resides in Georgia with his family as a private citizen.

Case Summary 

  • The Incident: On April 19, 1989, 28-year-old Trisha Meili was found brutally assaulted in Central Park.
  • Wrongful Conviction: Despite no forensic evidence linking them to the scene, the five teenagers (then aged 14–16) were convicted based on coerced confessions obtained during aggressive police interrogations.
  • Media Frenzy: The case became a national symbol of racial tension, fueled by sensationalist reporting and a public call for the death penalty.
  • Exoneration (2002): Serial rapist Matias Reyes confessed to the crime while in prison; DNA testing confirmed he acted alone.
  • Settlement: In 2014, the city of New York settled a lawsuit with the men for $41 million.
* Yusef Salaam(15 years old):
Convicted of rape, assault
robbery and riot. Sentenced to
7 years in juvenile hall. 
–
Salaam is a public
speaker and published
author. As well as an
advocate for change in
the criminal justice
system. He is married
with 10 children and
resides in Georgia.
* Kevin Richardson (14 years
old): Convicted for attempted
murder, rape, sodomy, assault
and robbery. Served 5 years.
–
Was able to receive a
high school diploma
from the Bronx Prep
Academy in 2017. He
lives in New Jersey
with his wife and his
two daughters.
* Raymond Santana (14 years
old): Convicted of rape,
assault, robbery and riot.
Sentenced to 5 years.
–
Lives in Georgia. He
started an apparel
company called Park
Madison NYC. Has a
teenage daughter.
* Korey Wise (16 years old): Convicted of
assault, sexual abuse and riot.
Sentenced to 5-15 years in jail
(completed 12) .
–
The only member of
the Five that still lives
in New York City. He
founded the Korey
Wise Innocence
Project at Colorado
Law School in 2015 .
Antron McCray (15 years
old): Convicted of rape,
assault, robbery and also
riot charges. Sentenced to
5-10 years in prison.
(completed 6) .
–
Was the first of the
accused to leave New
York City. He is
married with six
children and now lives
in Georgia.
–

The New York Times

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED
© Dale Ricardo Shields 2026

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iforcolor

ARCHIVIST, EDUCATOR, HISTORIAN, and ARTiST
Dale Ricardo Shields is highly accomplished African American actor, director, producer, and educator with a distinguished career in theatre and academia.

Here's a summary of his background and achievements:

Early Life and Family:
Born on November 4, 1952, in Cleveland, Ohio.
His family has a strong musical background; his grandfather and father were founding members of the Shields Brothers Gospel Quartet of Ohio, and his mother was part of the Turner Gospel Singers.
He is a cousin of boxing promoter Don King.
Education:
Graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 1970.
Holds both a BFA (1975) and MFA (1995) from Ohio University.

Career and Contributions
Theatre Professional:
Actor: Has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and in regional productions. His television credits include The Cosby Show, Another World, Guiding Light, Saturday Night Live, and the ITV series Special Needs. He has also appeared in commercials and films.
Director and Stage Manager: Has extensive professional credits in these roles, including projects at Lincoln Center, The Henry Street Settlement House (New Federal Theatre), The Negro Ensemble Company, and The Joseph Papp Public Theatre.
Assistant Director: Served as assistant to Lloyd Richards and assistant director for the New Federal Theatre premiere of Ossie Davis's play A Last Dance With Sybil starring Ruby Dee and Earl Hyman.

Educator:
Professor: He is a Professor of Acting, Directing, Black Theatre, Black Studies, and Stage Management. He has taught at various institutions, including Ohio University, The College of Wooster, Denison University, Macalester College, Susquehanna University (as artist-in-residence), and SUNY Potsdam.
Workshops and Programs: Conducted workshops for Joseph Papp's Playwriting in the Schools Program (PITS) at The Public Theatre for six seasons and represented the United States at the ASSITEJ Theatre Festival in London, England, in 1988.
Artistic Activist and Historian:

Iforcolor.org: Creator and archivist for the Black History website Iforcolor.org, dedicated to preserving and sharing information about African Americans and artists of color. He also maintains the "Black Theatre/African American Voices" website on Facebook.
Project1VOICE Liaison: Serves as the Project1VOICE Liaison for the state of Ohio, directing "One Play One Day" events in Cleveland since 2011.

Awards and Recognition:
The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award: Recipient in 2017.
Paul Robeson Award: Recipient in 2021 (jointly presented by the Actors' Equity Association and Actors' Equity Foundation).
AUDELCO/"VIV" Special Achievement Award: Received in 2017.
Tony Award Nominee: Nominated for the "Excellence in Theatre Education Award" in 2015 and 2017.
Ebony Bobcat Network (EBN) Legend Award: Received from Ohio University in 2022.
ENCORE AWARD / The Actors Fund: Received in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Outstanding Professor Awards: Has received two of these and three "Educational Program of the Year" awards as a university professor.
The HistoryMakers archives: Interviewed and included in The HistoryMakers archives, permanently housed in the Library of Congress.
Dale Ricardo Shields is recognized for his profound impact on the lives of his students and his unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting Black theatre history and culture.